Display stand



Jan. 21, 1941. w E' 2,229,257

DISPLAY STAND Filed June 12, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan 2192 06 1 1! fieazznye. Y

A TTORNE V55 Jan. 21, 1941- L. w. REAUME ,2 9, 5

DISPLAY STAND Filed June 12, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE 1 Patented Jan. 21, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPLAY STAND Y Application June 12,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a display stand adapted for use in displaying and advertising merchandise, and more particularly to a stand of the typementio-ned that is formed of sheet material, such as cardboard or the like.

One object of the invention is to provide a stand of the type mentioned which is folded out of only two rectangular sheets of material with a minimum number of operations and a minimum waste of material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stand which can be collapse-d into a flat package for shipment and can be assembled without the use of any fastening means.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified means for supporting a tray or shelf in a display cabinet of the type mentioned.

Another object is to provide a stand having an auxiliary display shelf formed in one wall thereof for carrying supplemental displays of goods.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a persepctive view of one form of the assembled stand;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the main body portion of the stand with the shelf elementremoved; parts being broken away toshow the interior construction;

Fig. -3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the shelf element removed from the main body portion of the stand;

Fig. 5 is a view of the shelf element showing analternative manner in which it may be assembled in the stand;

Fig. 6 shows a modified form of the stand, in which there is embodied an auxiliary display shelf;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the mainbody of the stand shown inFig. 6 with the shelf element removed to show the interior construction;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 88 of Fig. 6; and

1937, Serial No. 147,910

such as cardboard or the like, which is divided by parallel crease lines into four initially rectangular side panels I0, I 12 and I3. The side panels I0 and |2 are provided with suitable tabs M and i5, as best shown in Figure 2, which are secured to the panel I3 in any desired manner, as by staples, to form a box-like structure having four rectangular sides and an open top and bottom. It will be noted that this box-like structure may be collapsed into a flat package for shipment purposes or storage without disconnectingth'e adjoining edges of pan-els l0 and -|3.

Each of the panels or sides of the box structure is provided with three parallel crease lines It, I! and I8, extending entirely across the sides of the box and parallel to the-bottom edge I!) thereof, thereby forming two horizontal panels 20 and 2|j upon eachside or main panel of the stand. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the panels 20 and 2| may be folded inwardly of the stand to provide a double folded inwardly e'x-' tending horizontal flange entirely around the periphery of thestand when the latter is opened up to the assembled positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The edges of the panels 2|! and 2| are relievedor cut away at 22 and 23 to prevent interference when the panels 2|! and 2| are folded inwardly. It willbe observed that panels 20 and 2| may be swunginto the planes of the main body panels IO, N, l2 and l3 when thestand'as a whole is collapsed for purposes of shipment or storage.

The top edges of the panels Ill and I2 are folded inwardly along a diagonal line, and the resulting triangular flaps 25 and 26 are permanently secured to the panels It and I2, respectively, in any suitable manner, such as by stapling. -This provides downwardly inclined top edges 21 and23 for the panels l0 and I2, which edges-are'of greater strength and improved appearance over correspondingly inclined edges formed by cutting away portions of the panels l0 and |2. The top edge of panel H is provided with a crease line 29 connecting the lowermost portionsof the inclined top edges of panels l0 and I2 to -form aflap indicatedgenerally at 30. The flap 30 is provided with a parallel crease line3| and a projecting-tongue 32. When flap 30 isfoldedcutwardly of the box, as best shown in Figs. .1 and 3, the tongue 32 is adapted to project into a slot 33' forrned in panel I! to provide anincline'dpanel 34 upon which suitable advertising or printed matter may beplaced. It .will'be noted that when the stand is folded fiat,.the tongue 32 on the flap is. withdrawn from slot 33 and the flap as a whole is placed in the same plane as panel The stand is completed by the addition of a shelf element shown as a whole in Fig. 4. This element is also formed of a single rectangular sheet of cardboard or the like and is creased transversely substantially midway of its ends at 35 to provide a back panel 36 and a shelf panel 37. These panels 36 and 31 are stiffened by bent-over flanges 38, 39, 46, 4| and 42. It will be noted that the flanges 38 and 39 on the back panel 36 do not extend to the top of this panel,

with the result that there is provided on the back pane1 36 outwardly extending projections 43 and 44 adapted to extend beyond the sides of the main body portion when the shelf element is assembled, as best shown in Fig. 1. The flanges 39 are cut from the back panel 36 at their upper edges along the diagonal lines 45 and 46. This leaves downward projections on the outwardly extending portions 43 and 44 which may be cut away, if desired, along the lines 41 and 48 indicated in Fig. 4.

The shelf element is inserted within the open upper end of the main body portion. It snugly fits the body portion and rests upon the inwardly extending flanges formed by panels 20 and 2|, as best shown by Fig. 3. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the flanges 46 and 4| on the shelf panel 31 are bent upwardly with the result that the panel 31 rests directly upon the panels 20 and 2|. In this position, a slot 50 formed in the flange 42 of the shelf element is in alignment with the slot 33 in the front panel II, and is therefore adapted to receive the tongue 32, as best shown in Fig. 3.

Theshelf element is adapted for positioning at different elevations within the main body portion by reason of the fact that flanges 40 and 4| of the shelf panel 31 may be turned downwardly, if desired, as shown in Fig. 5, in which event the flanges 40 and 4| will rest upon the inturned flange of the main body portion formed by panels 20 and 2| and thus support the shelf panel 31 at a higher elevation than that shown in Figs. 1 and 3. This is of advantage when the merchandise to be displayed comprises relatively small articles. In order to accommodate the tongue 32 when the shelf element is positioned in its elevated position, there is provided an auxiliary slot 5| in the flange 42. It will be noted that no changes in the structure of the stand or shelf element are required to adjust the elevation of the shelf element.

When the shelf element is assembled, it will be noted that it holds the main body portion of the stand in its rectangular boxlike shape and that the weight of the merchandise carried by the shelf element will hold the two flange panels 26 and 2| in face to face contact with each other, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. Accordingly, it is unnecessary to provide any fastening means for securing the panels 20 and 2| in their face to face position. Preferably the lower side edges of the panel 36 of the shelf element snugly fit the interior of the boxlike body portion with the result that the back panel 36 is frictionally held in a position shown in Figure 1, in which position the upwardly and outwardly projecting portion of the back panel is adapted for the reception of printed or other advertising matter.

In Figures 6 to 9, inclusive, is shown a modified form of the box wherein there is incorporated an auxiliary display shelf. In this form of the invention, the main body portion of the box is identical to that previously described except that there is provided in the upper portion of the back panel I3 of the main body portion a pair of triangular ears 60 and 6|, which may be bent inwardly from the back panel. Ears 60 and. 6| are provided with tongues 62 and have flat horizontal top edges 63, as best shown in Figures 7 and 8.

The shelf element in this form of the invention is best shown in Figure 9, wherein it will be seen that it comprises a bottom panel 64 having flanges 65, 66 and 61, corresponding to the flanges 40, 4| and 42 of the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 5. In this case, however, the back .panel 10 is provided with three parallel horizontal crease lines 12 and I3, defining four panels I4, I5, 16 and 11. If desired, flaps 16 and '19 may be provided at the edges of the back panel 10 above the crease line H, but these flanges or flaps are not extended below the crease line 1|, as in the previous modification.

When the shelf element is assembled within the main body portion of the stand, the supporting panel 64 rests directly upon the in-turned flange formed by panels 20 and 2|, as in the previously described embodiment of the invention, and the back panels 14 and 17 rest against the main body panel I3. The back panels 15 and 16 of the shelf element, however, as best shown in Figure 8, bear against the edges of the triangular ears 60 and 6|, the panel 76 resting upon the horizontal top edge 63 of these cars. It is apparent, therefore, that the panel 16 forms a hori- Zontal auxiliary display shelf and is supported in position by means of triangular ears 60 and 6|. The back panel 15 is preferably provided with suitable slots 86 for the reception of the tongues 62 on the triangular ears 6!] and 6|. When the stand is assembled, these cars may be bent over to assist in retaining the back panel in position.

It will be observed that in accordance with both forms of the invention, the entire stand is formed of two rectangular blanks, all portions of which that are required to be connected together at all, are permanently connected prior to shipment. Nevertheless, the blanks may be shipped in a collapsed and flat condition and thereafter assembled to final form without the necessity of making any further connections between the parts thereof. Moreover, the resulting assembled stand is quite sturdy. The shelf element holds the main body portion in a fullopen position, and the weight of the merchandise displayed holds the shelf in position and the top and bottom portions of the main body collapsed into contact with each other. Accordingly, the stand may be disassembled and collapsed to a flat condition at any time without in any way injuring it or marring its appearance.

In addition to the above, it will be noted that all of the exposed top edges of the body are smooth folded edges and that the inclined surface panel 34 and the back panels 36 or 11 of the shelf element provide exceedingly elTective locations for displaying advertising matter.

In addition to the above, the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, has the advantage that the shelf element may be adjusted to any desired height and the form shown in Figures 6 to 9 embodies an exceedingly simple, yet sturdy and eifective auxiliary display shelf in combination with the back panel of the shelf element. The stand as a whole is exceedingly simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, and can be made with a minimum waste of material in view of the fact that all component parts are formed out of two substantially rectangular sheets of material.

While only two forms of the invention are shown and described, it is apparent that others are available within the spirit of the foregoing specification, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A display stand comprising aboxlike body portion formed of four panels of sheet material connected at their edges, each of said panels having portions intermediate their ends collapsed inwardly in substantially the same transverse plane in a double fold to provide inwardly projecting fianges, the edges of the flanges adjacent the creases thereof being cut away to prevent interference therebetween, and a partition member in the box structure resting on said flanges.

2. A display stand comprising a single sheet of bendable material formed into a closed box structure having four side panels with parallel connecting edges whereby the box structure may be collapsed into a fiat condition without disconnecting the adjoining edges of the panels, each of said side panels being provided with three parallel crease lines disposed beneath the top edges of said side panels, the respective lines on each panel lying in the same transverse plane as the corresponding lines in the other panels whereby the material intermediate the outer crease lines may be folded inwardly into double flanges, the edges of said panels adjacent the foldable portions being cut away to prevent interference therebetween, and a partition adapted to rest upon said flanges.

3. A display stand comprising a boxlike structure open at the top, means in said box structure and below the top edge thereof for supporting a shelf, and a shelf element formed of deformable sheet material having a panel adapted to lit the interior of the box structure and rest on said means, and having a second panel connected to the first panel at one edge and projecting upwardly adjacent one side wall of said box structure, said second panel having a plurality of parallel horizontal crease lines and being bent at said lines to form an auxiliary display shelf, and means complementary in shape to the shape of the auxiliary display shelf on one side of said box structure for engaging and thereby supporting said auxiliary display shelf, said last named means including a tongue which extends through a slot in one wall of the auxiliary shelf to fix said auxiliary shelf in position.

LAWRENCE W. REAUME. 

